Year-round schools start July 21, and open houses are being held this week, beginning this afternoon with Graham Middle School.

And one year-round school — Eastlawn Elementary — got a special kick-off to the year on a hot and sunny Saturday thanks to a church sponsor.

“To me it’s been a blessing, and we really enjoyed ourselves with the food and the games,” said Bernicia Smith, who has one child in Eastlawn this year and two who have already gone through. “They made sure you had plenty to drink.”

More than 400 volunteers from St. Mark’s Church came out from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to organize food, games and entertainment for hundreds of Eastlawn families on the school’s field. Church members and others contributed $11,000 for the celebration, according to Angela Presley, St. Mark’s group life and missions pastor, and got plenty of donations of items like food and gift cards and from local business.

There was a giant inflatable slide and bounce house, a stage with clowns performing, and a dunk tank. The fire department and EMS had vehicles out, and members of the Patriot Guard and Fellowship Riders brought their motorcycles out for kids to see.

The church also gave out 500 book bags with school supplies.

“They gave out (paper) tablets and paper and everything they need,” Smith said.

St. Mark’s has been sponsoring Eastlawn for years, but this is the first time it has put on an event quite like this one.

---]

YEAR-ROUND SCHOOLS’ OPEN HOUSES

Graham Middle School: 5 to 8:45 p.m. today for sixth grade — dinner will be served — and 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday for seventh and eighth grade;

Eastlawn Elementary School: 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday;

South Graham Elementary School: 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday — prekindergarten and kindergarten orientation starts at 4 p.m. in the gym, and the third-grade Read to Achieve update will be at 5 p.m.